As nitrogen costs remain volatile, farmers are looking to safeguard their valuable investment. New research released this fall from the University of Missouri demonstrates that adding NutriSphere-N Nitrogen Fertilizer Manager (N-N) to urea can help farmers receive long-lasting protection against volatilization.

The study was conducted by David Dunn, Soil Labs Manager at the University's Fisher Delta Research Center, and was a continuation of his 2010 research. He analyzed how different nitrogen stabilizers work to help reduce nitrogen loss compared with untreated urea applications.

Dunn observed that when significant rainfall did not occur within five to seven days of nitrogen application, NutriSphere-N clearly reduced the amount of ammonia lost. Within a 41-day period, plain urea lost four times as much nitrogen as the urea treated with NutriSphere-N (375.42 ppm ammonia for untreated urea compared to 84.17 ppm for N-N).

"NutriSphere-N performed very well during the study, significantly reducing the cumulative long-term nitrogen loss," says Dunn. "The ground was wet at application. Throughout the study, temperatures were high and rains were less than 1/4- to 1/2-inch. These are all prime conditions for volatilization of nitrogen. Products like NutriSphere-N are great insurance policies when farmers are unable to predict when or how much it will rain."

"This University of Missouri research proves the long lasting nitrogen protection that NutriSphere-N delivers to farmers," says Larry Sanders, Ph.D., president and CEO of SFP, which developed, manufactures and distributes NutriSphere-N.

"Up to 50 percent of nitrogen can be lost due to volatilization, denitrification and leaching, which is a significant financial loss for farmers," says Sanders.

"Year after year, farmers are seeing the difference NutriSphere-N makes in their fields. Studies like this confirm the product provides advanced protection and stabilization of nitrogen applications. SFP continues to be committed to helping farmers get the most from their fertilizer investment," says Sanders.